Dyson has carved out a niche in consumer products, with vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, and hairdryers becoming mainstays of its trade. But there’s no stopping the thirst for fresh innovations, and the tech giant is taking a crack at a new market with its next premium offering: the Dyson Zone headphones with air purification.
First announced last year, it comes as a pair of cans that can be attached to a futuristic-looking visor, which gives a very interesting look. In place of the usual headphone-wearing individual is a Bane lookalike (yes, as in the Batman supervillain), with the Prussian Blue and copper hues bringing some eye-popping colour to the mix.
Unconventional as its design may be, the Dyson Zone is a surprise gem out in the field. Punchy bass, acoustic detail, and bright vocals are all part of the listening experience, with the heavy lifting shared between the 40mm neodymium drivers on each earcup and eight noise-cancelling microphones. At 670 grams with the visor (and 595 grams without), it’s not the lightest pair of headphones, but the heft is balanced out by an even weight distribution and an ergonomic, comfortable design. Couple that with a 50-hour battery life and intuitive controls, and there’s extra merit going for it.
Now, for the show-stealing feature. While the air-purifying system does work as intended, effectively blocking out unpleasant odours and the like, it shouldn’t be used as a substitute to face masks and their N95 counterparts. Situational use comes highly recommended as a whole, unless the visor-wearing aesthetic is right up your alley.
Check out the above video as we put the S$1,399 headphones through its paces, and give a comprehensive breakdown of the good, the bad, and everything in between.